Harness-buckle.



Patented Nov. 25, |902.

a m m, 7 0. N

HARNESS BUCKLE.

(Application med May 15, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED.l STATES'A ATENT Fries.

BENJAMIN F. GEORGE, OF POTOMAC, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM H. BELLES, OF POTOMAO, ILLINOIS.

HARNESS-BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,171, dated November 25, 1902.

Application filed May 15,1902.

fo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. GEORGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Potomac, in the county of Vermilion and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Harness-Buckle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object a buckle employed in connection with harness, more particularly with the buckles usually employed to connect the traces to the other parts of the harness and also to connect the backbands and girth-bands to the trace-supporting means. p

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction, as hereinafter shown and described, and specified in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of Jthe back-band, the girth, and the trace of a harness with one of the improved buckles attached thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation on the line II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the .buckle disconnected.

In the description following when mention is made of the front7 of the buckle it will be understood that the part toward the head of the horse is referred to.

The buckle comprises an oblong framework consisting of side members 10 and 10, an upwardly-rising loop-bar 10b at the rear end, a relatively slightly-elevated loop-bar 10C at the front end, side loops 10d 10e rising from the side members 10 10, a transverse bar 10f connecting the side members 10 and 10a centrally of the loops 10d 10e and in alinement with the side members 10 10a and also in alinement with the bottom sides of the loops 10d 10c and-having a centrally-disposed pin 10h extending outwardly therefrom, and a transverse bar 10g between the forward ends of the loops lOd 10e and in alinement with the forward ends of the side loops.

The parts above described are all formed in one single piece or casting, preferably of malleable iron or steel.

Loosely engaging the front bar 10 is a clamp-frame consisting of a rear transverse bar 11, having a downwardly-extending pin Serial No. 107,476. (No model.)

11a, and a front transverse bar 11b, connected to the bar 11 by curved side bars 11C and 11d. Rising from the ends of the curved bars 11c 11d at their juncture with the lower transverse bar l1b are standards 11e llf, connected at their upper ends by a transverse bar 11g. This clamp-frame is adapted to engage the transverse bar 10c with the bars 1l 11g, projecting outward beyond the line of the bar 10, while the bar 11b extends transversely of the buckle below the line of the bar 10, as shown in Fig. 2. A portion of the backband is shown at 12 extending through the loops 10d 10e and engaged by the pin 10h and projecting downward below the loop 10e and affording means for the connection of the girth-band in the usual manner, the girthband not being shown, as its construction is so well known and as it forms no part of the present invention. The back-band will be provided with the usual perforations 12, spaced apart and affording means for its adjustment vertically upon the pin 10h, vas will be readily understood. The loops 10d 10e will be of just sufficient width to permit the back-band to move freely throughv them and will serve to retain the back-band in engagement with the pin 10h. The bar 10g,com ing in line with the forward ends of the loops lOd 10G, serves as a guide to the side of the back-band as well as a support for the trace, as hereinafter shown.-

The trace is represented at 13 of the usual construction, the portion 13, which leads to the hames or breast-strap, being looped by its rearward end to the bar 11d and the main trace 13, which leads to the singletree, being passed by its outer end beneath the bar 10b, over the bar 10g, and incidentally over the back-band between the loops 10d 10e, beneath the bar 11, outside the bar 10, and beneath the bar 11g and thence beneath the usual keepers 13d on the short trace`13a. The trace when thus arranged and the draft force applied is 'pressed downward upon the backband 12 and holds the latter in engagement with its pin 10lll and prevents displacement in coaction with the loops 1.0d 10e. When the draft force is applied, the tendency is for the clamp-frame to be drawn in close engagement with the trace and clamp it down firmly in engagement with the bar 10c, bending it over this bar, and thereby greatly increasing the,

holding force by materially increasing the friction, and the greater the force of the draft the more tightly the parts will be drawn together. The curved form of the side members llL1 11d greatly assist iu this action, as they produce a somewhat rolling motion upon the bar l0c as they are drawn beneath it.

The grip of the clamp-frame is sufficient to retain the trace 13 in engagement With the bar 10c by friction alone against the ordinary draft of the lteam; but by providing the bar 1l with the pin llqd the coupling between the clamp-frame and the trace is rendered entirely secure with no possible chance for slipping, and thereby forming a positive coupling means between the parts.

The curved bars 11c 1ld form a constantlydecreasing fulcrum engagement between the transverse bar 10c and exert a very strong leverage upon the trace, which increases in strength with any increase in the force of the draft. This curving ofthe bars 1lc lld of the clamp-frame is therefore a very important feature of the invention, as it adjusts vthe leverage of the clamp-frame automatically to the requirements of the buckle by increasing the leverage correspondingly with any increase of strain.

The buckle may be made of any required size or strength and of any required material and ornamented in any desired manner, either byjapanning, plating, or otherwise treating it.

It' required, the bar lOb may be provided with an extra loop 10i to serve as a support for the holdback-strap.

The bar 11g serves an important purpose, as it coacts With the bar l1 and curved side bars 11c l1d to bend the trace 13 over the bar verse rear bar over which the trace is adapted to pass, a clamp-frame comprising a transverse bar to which the rear end of the short tug is adapted to be attached, and a transverse bar above the trace in the rear of said front bar, and having downwardly-curving side bars connecting the ends of said clampbars beneath said front bar, standards rising from the lower front ends of said curved side bars and connected above the trace by a trans verse front bar, substantially as described.

2. Inaharness-buckle, arectangular frame- Work adapted to support the trace thereover, a loop at the rear end adapted to engage the upper side of the trace and retain it in engagement with the framework, spaced bars upon opposite sides of the front member of said framework adapted to engage the upper side of said trace, and inwardly-curving side bars connecting the ends of said spaced bars beneath said front member, and a transverse bar connecting said curved bars beneath the trace and adapted to support the rear end of the short trace, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

hi BENJAMIN E. s GEORGE.

mark

Witnesses: Y

W. C. MEssNER, BART. RICE. 

